How many years does Cohen get?

[PhredPhantom]

Let me start off by saying that I love MSU Sports in general and Baseball in particular. We drive 45 miles one-way to attend nearly every home game and have for the past 15-18 years. It's the one sport we have historically had some success in.

That being said, I just don't have a good feeling about this season. I hope I'm wrong but I just don't see a significant difference between the team or the pitching this year than last year. At least it's not a dumpster fire like basketball (yet) but I just don't see any kind of significant improvement in this year's team or in our prospects for a successful season.

I think if Greg Byrne was still our AD, this would likely be Cohen's final chance to turn things around. With Scott Strickland I just don't know. I don't have the same Ninja-like feelings about Strickland so far that I did about Byrne.

Your thoughts?

 

[jeremyrbrown]

nmnm

 

[RobbieRandolph]

Byrne knew the dire situation our beisbol program was in when he spurned Polk's request to hire Raffo and went with Cohen, so if anything I believe Byrne would be more in John's corner than Scott is (if that's possible). That being said, Cohen has this year and next year no questions asked. His assistants (Butch) may not make it to year 4 depending how this season plays out, but Cohen will be here through 2012.

Also, learn how to spell our ADs name, please. Stricklin. Scott Stricklin.

 

[therightway]

I really do not understand why we have fallen so low. I think that we have to face it thata lotof the conference has passed us by as far as facilities. In the early 80's it was us and LSU that got serious about baseball but that is not the caseanymore.No one can top us in attendance for a big game but that has not happened lately. We do not have the wow factor like we had in the past. We have to realize that our tradition is based on fans and atmosphere and not what we have done on the field. Kids these days do not think that this is where Will Clark played. I really think that Cohen can get it done but I feel like I am pulling my hair out waiting.

 

[Coach34]

.

 

[maroonmania]

and I am not very pleased with things I have seen relative to pitcher development and base running fundamentals I am willing to give him this year and next to see what he's going to do. You DO realize that his first recruiting class were true freshmen LAST year. This year is his first to have any of his guys in the program for multiple years. And goodness knows he was dealt a very weak hand coming in.

 

[Coach34]

I really do not understand why we have fallen so low. I think that we have to face it thata lotof the conference has passed us by as far as facilities. In the early 80's it was us and LSU that got serious about baseball but that is not the caseanymore.No one can top us in attendance for a big game but that has not happened lately. We do not have the wow factor like we had in the past. We have to realize that our tradition is based on fans and atmosphere and not what we have done on the field. Kids these days do not think that this is where Will Clark played. I really think that Cohen can get it done but I feel like I am pulling my hair out waiting.

Polkstopped leaving campus to recruit.If recruits didnt come to our camps, Polk and Raffo said screw'em.
Mississippi has had5times as many players drafted in the top 10 roundsas we have the last 5-6 years I think- it may even be more than that. Guys like Stephen Head went to Mississippi because Raffo told his family "we arent taking anymore LHP's". Guy ends up a 2nd or 3rd round pick. And there are multiple stories like this.
Facilities started to lag when therest of the SEC decided to pump money into baseball.

It's pretty easy to understand

 

[TBonewannabe]

aggressive base running. Most of those guys just didn't look very comfortable being aggressive.

 

[KurtRambis4]

We drive 45 miles one-way to attend nearly every home game

that's got to win some kind of "Longest Distance" contest.

 

[bulldogcountry1]

nm

 

[whatever.sixpack]

I find the recruiting double standard a little funny. Cohen loses and it's ok b/c his recruiting classes are ranked so high that we'll undoubtedly be on top in no time. Mullen gets a disappointing class and it gets spun as recruiting rankings don't matter, although they're our current saving grace in baseball

 

[PhredPhantom]

Also, learn how to spell our ADs name, please. Stricklin. Scott Stricklin.

Thanks for the correction. I already knew how to spell his name but I guess I was having a senior moment.

BTW, it "AD's", not "ADs". (possessive, not plural) Just sayin'

We drive 45 miles one-way to attend nearly every home game

that's got to win some kind of "Longest Distance" contest.

Yeah, it's 45 miles each way for each home basketball and football game, too. It makes for late nights getting home after night games. I wish we lived a little closer.

<span class="post-title">Couldn't you at least wait until we've played a game?</span>

No, I couldn't. I didn't <span style="font-style: italic; text-decoration: underline;">predict</span> that we will have a bad season, I just said I don't have a good feeling about it considering the tidbits of information that we are getting and the fact that we haven't had any news that indicates anything much different to expect. Routt (sp?) is still out after nearly a year (starting to be reminiscent of the Sidney fiasco in basketball - I know, different circumstances) and so we really have only one pitcher that I'm aware of (Stratton) with a proven ability to compete in the SEC. Maybe the others will come along but Butch didn't have much success with pitcher development that showed results last year.

Anyway, I really hope we can have a good season. I guess I forget how far we've fallen and how long it must take to get back up. I'd like to at least have better players and a a better season that Mississippi. That would be an improvement.

 

[dawgoneyall]

Is that you?

 

[Todd4State]

We should show progress this year. There's no reason for us to not have a winning season at a minimum.

If we don't, he needs to look at the program and figure what's not working and fix it ASAP.

And then after that, if he can't win again the next year, he needs to be fired and someone else needs to get a shot. Especially since he has had two fairly highly rated classes- those magazines aren't likely to be wrong 3-4 years in a row, and with the amount of players that we have had drafted out of high school, MLB is even less likely to be wrong.

My point is, it is pretty obvious that we have talent, and if we're still losing, it's not because the players don't have ability. It's more than likely because of the coaching.